Material reducing and classifying device



July 14, 1931. H. a. LYKKEN MATERIAL REDUCING AND CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed March 29. 1929 -2v-VSheets-Sheet 1 July 14; 1931. H. a. LYKKEN 1,314,395

MATERIAL REDUCING AND CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed March 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 14, 1931 4 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY G. LYKKEN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, LIINNESOTA MATERIAL REDUCING AND. CLASSIFYING DEVICE Application filed March 29, 1929. Serial No. 350,995.

The present invention relates to the reducon the impeller into the region of the vortiing of material to a fine state, and also the oose movement, at which point it acts upon proper conditioning of the same for use. the material body evenly to cause an attrition Among the objects of the invention is to of the material particles and to cause the at- 5 provide a novel device for and a novel method trlted material particles to become uniformly E5 of reducing materials, the material to be redlstributed 1n the fluidal orreducing body. duced being subjected to a vorticose move- The resulting materlal laden body is then diment of a reducing fluid, which is produced rected to means where it is acted upon to obevenly against the body of material to effect m the degree of fineness and the de ree of a, uniform reduction of the particles of ma- COIICBIItI'atIOII desired, the larger an heavterial. ier particles being thrown out of the body The invention comprehends the idea of p and directed back into the chamber to be resitioning the means for producing the vorreduced; ticose movement relative to the body of matee l v ntlon further comprehends the rial to be reduced,'to cause the vorticose move- P I f a novel means for positioning nent of the reducing to act evenly the mater1al 111 chamber, relative to the against the body of material, so that the parg f he "ortlcose movement, in order tides, reason of rubbing upon each other that the PaI'tIClGS 0f the material may be actunder the uniformity of stresses imparted ed 11P0I1 ev nly, by the vorticose movement by the vorticose movement, to be more uni- 0f h red clng fluid to effect a uniform re- 70 formly reduced, and to be uniformly disduction of the particles in the body. In the t ib t d i th d i fl id, embodlment selected to illustrate the inven- The invention is applicable to the reducing a rr gated Wall is positioned in assoof any reducible material, but for illustration ClatlOIl W t e Walls of the chamber to reit is herein described as a fuel device and tald the mov ment of the material in the therefore has for an obj e'ct the provision of a the fan 01 impeller acting to pile or a novel fuel reducing device in which th build up the material about the walls of the fuel is uniformly reduced and converted into m er, the surfaces of the body being in a fl id l nditi a d i d ith 3 such a position as to be acted upon evenly by porter of combustion, such as air. It also h V r l se movement. 80 comprehends the idea of utilizing a fluid such e t on further comprehends the as air, to eflect the substantial uniform or p vis n of means for feeding the material even reducing of the material by an act simif he region of the vorticose movement lar to fluid erosion. The material laden fluid nlf rm y.

body is then directed to means where it is Other objects, advantages, features and 85 acted upon to obtain the degree of fineness capabilities are comprehended by the invenand the degree of concentration desired, and on s il ater appear, and are inherently .is then directed to the locus or loci of conpossessed thereby.

sumption in a state of uniformity, according Referring to the drawings 40 to the demand at those loci. Fig. 1 is a view in vertical cross section 90 Another object of the invention is to prothrough a device constructed in accordance vide a novel means for directing the uniform with the invention and connected to a sepaor equal fluidal stream into the chamber and rating or classifying device. into the r gionv of the vorticose movement, Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view In the illustrative embodiment of the inventaken in a plane or planes represented by tion, an outer chamber is provided for directthe line 22 of Fig. 1. ing a fluidal or reducing body, such as air, to Referring now more in detail'to the drawa multiplicity of points around the blades of. ings, the embodiment selected to illustrate an impeller or band member. The fluidal or the invention is shown as comprisin a rereducing body is then directed by the action ducing chamber 1 in which is rotatab y supporteda rotor 2 having radial projections3 upon which are removably mounted blades 4,

the rotor'being mounted upon a shaft '5 journaled in a-- bearing 6 on the bottom wall of the. chamber 1, and operated by a suitable source of powerl Atone side of the chamber is provided a hopper 7 in which material 8 may be held and charged into the lower part 9 of the chamber, the material therein forming a bed beneath the rotor 2. f Y

A uniform amount of material'is main"- tained in the lower part 9 of the chamber 1,

by means of a ram feeder having an armportion 10 extending through the lower portion of a wall of a hopper 7, this arm being being thrown out froma region of the vorti- -'cose movement back into such'region where itis further actedupon by the movement to 1 causeit to be finally pulverized.

' for uniformly feedingand uniformly agitat- The amount of material being fed into the lower portion 9, may be regulated by varying the speed of the shaft 15 or by regulating the length of stroke of the frame 12, and likewise the arm 12. The reciprocating movement of the arm 10 provides a very eflicient means ing the material in the chamber 1. ther methods of feeding may be used to feed material into the chamber at a uniform rate.

The walls of the lower portion 9 of the chamber 1 may be provided with roughened or corrugated sections 16, the corrugations of which act as anchors for the retarding of the lower and outer layers or portions of the material being caused to move around the chamber in the direction of rotation of the rotor. The building up of the material about the walls of the chamber provides a surface against which the vorticose movement produced by the blade element 4 of the rotor 2 may act evenly to cause a uniform reduction or a uniform attrition of the particles of material forming the surface part of the bed of material. 9

, A recess 17 in the wall of-the lower portion 9 is provided wherein material of a nonfriable or non-reducible character is collect-/ ed, and whichmav be removed through a bulkhead 18. A reducing fluid and supporter of com- I bustion is introduced into the chamber 1 through an inlet conduit 19, which fluid is distributed equally arourd'the rotor 2 by" ducts 20 which lead into a fluid inlet box 21, having a circular openin 22 in association with the arm portions '3 ofthe rotor 2, which arm portions direct or distribute the evenly and uniformly into the: region of the vorticose movement set up 'by'the rotation of the rotor 2. The air or other supporter of combustion introduced through these air ducts into such regions maybe preheated or' not, as desired. The uantity of reducing fluid entering the cham r may be regulated so that the quantity of material being reduced and likewise the degree of concentration of the material being discharged, may be controlled.

The material is introduced at a uniform irate by the ram feeder where the surface of the bed of material in the chamber 1 comes into contact with the vorticose movement of the reducing fluid produced by the rotor 2. As the reducing fluid is introduced equally about the rotor around 3, the vorticose movement of the fluid will act evenly against the particles of material to effect a uniformity in their reduction by the eroding effect of the vorticose movement. The corrugation of the wall 16 holds the material in such a osition relative to the blade element thatv the material is reduced substantially uniformly over the entire surface. The resulting material-laden fluid body having a substantially uniform distribution of material therein, in a finel divided state, is then passed Out through an outlet to a separating and classifying means.

The separating and classifying device is I provided with a chamber 23 situated above the chamber 1 of the reducing-device, and is separated therefrom by a diaphragm 24 suitably positoned between the ends of the walls 1 and 23 of the reducing and separating chambers respectively. Thediaphragm 24 is provided with an opening 25 centrallylocated and havin a skirt portion 26 forming a converging orifice outlet means from the reducing chamber 1 to the classifying or s eparating chamber 23. The shaft 5 upon which is mounted the rotor 2 in the reducing chamber 1, extends upwardly through the orifice inlet through-the chamber 23, and is journaled in suitable bearings24 and 25 connected by any suitable means to a top plate 26 of the chamber- 23. A fan or rotor 27 is provided in chamber 23, and is adjustably connected to the shaft 5 by a set screw'28 or the like. A collar 29 connected to the shaft 5 by means of 'a set screw 30 is provided to more positively position the fan or rotor on the shaft 5.

The fan or rotor 27-,and likewise the rotor 2, is rotated by a pulley 31 connected to the shaft 5 at its upper end, and the pulley being in turn driven by asuitable means such as abelt from a suitable source of power (not shown).

" 27 is preferably spaced from the diaphragm.

1,a14,aas

A member 82 is provided in the upper portion of the chamber 23 and forms an annular chamber 33 with the walls of the chamber 23 above the fan or rotor 27. The fan 24, and when rotated, sets up a vorticose movement in the space between the diaphragm 24 and fan 27, and around the orifice 25 as also in the space between the ends of the blade elements and the walls of the chamber 23, and in chamber The material laden fluid body' from the reducing chamber 1 is aspirated up through the orifice means 25 into the separating or classifying chamber 23, where the vorticose movement produced by the fan or rotor 27 will cause a casting 0 of the heavier and larger particles which impinge upon the lower part of the walls of the chamber 30 and which drop onto the diaphragm24. The remainder of the fluidal mass continues to swirl in a continuous cyclonic-or vorticose path in the 1, direction of the rotation of the fan 27.

A plurality of ports 34 in the diaphragm 24 provide means for diverting the cast-off larger and heavier particles in the materialv laden fluid body, back to the reducing, chamher lto be re-reduced. The size of the ports 34 may be regulated or varied by an annular ring valve 35 on the under side of the diaphragm 24, and slidable upon the annular angle iron 36.. The ring valve 35 carries a segmental racket .37 which engages a pinion 38 mounted on za shaft 39 extending through and suitably "journaled in the wall of chamber *1, and' operated by a hand wheel 40 securedto' the exterior end of the shaft.

A plurality of outlet ports, preferably Y "equally distributed, are provided in the top plate 26, and are connected with outlet conduits 41 for distributing the material-laden fluid body to different loci. or points of consumption. An annular ring valve 42 carries a segmental rack 42 meshed with a pinion 42 on a shaft 42 suitably rotatably mounted in the wall of chamber 23, the exterior end of the shaft carrying a hand'vvheel 43. Operating the latter will vary the amount of' mateoutlet conduit. 7

- rial body assumes a vorticose or cyclonic action'i'n the classifying chamber 23, the coarser I and'heavier particles are cast out, and then due to the a'ctionxof gravity. these particles work their Way into the collected particles in the chamber. Because of the difl'erence in pressures in the chamber 23 and the reducing which have collected upon the diaphragm 24 about the port openings 34.

It is possible toobtain a very close control of the degree of concentratiim and fineness and of the uniformity of distribution oft-he material in the material laden fluid body which is" being used and consumed at'the consuming loci. In the reducing chamber 1, the particles are evenly reduced and uniformly distributed in the reducing fluid and are then aspirated up into the classifying chamber in .such a condition, where the heavier and larger particles are cast off and the degree of concentration and the degree of flnenessis obtained, after which the material'- laden fluid body is distributed to the points of consumption.

lVhile I have herein described and upon the drawings shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the latter is not limited thereto, but comprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A device for reducing materials, comprising a chamber, a body of material to be reduced in said chamber, means for producing a vorticose movement of a reducing fluid evenly against saidI body of material, and means for moving certain portions of said body of material uniformly into the locus of the vorticose movement.

2. A device for reducing materials, comprising a chamber, a body of material to be reduced in said chamber, means for directing a reducing fluid into said chamber, and means for producing a vorticose movement of said reducing fluid evenly against said body of material, and means for moving cer- +tain portions of said body of material uniformly into the locus of the vorticose movement.

.A. device for reducing materials, comprisingia chamber,, a body of material to be reduced in said chamber, means for producing a vorticosemovement of a reducing fluid evenly against said body of material, and means for positioning said material relative to the-locus of the vorticose movement where'- rial-laden fluid. body passing throughthe -byfithe particles of material are uniformly.

stressed and reduced.

prising a chamber, a body of material to be 4. A device for reducing ma flerials, com- I reduced in said chamber, means for produc--- ing a vorticose movement of a reducing fluid evenly against said body of material, means for positioning said material relative to the locus of the vorticose movement whereby the particles of material are uniformly stressed and reduced, and means for moving certain portions of said body of material uniformly into said locus.

5. A device for reducing materials, com prising a chamber, a/body of material to be reduced in said chamber, means for directing a reducing fluid into said chamber, means for producing a vorticose movement of said reducing fluid evenly against said body of material, and means for positioning said material relative to the locus of the vertieose movement whereby the particles are uniformly stressed and reduced.

6. A device for reducing materials, comprising a chamber, a body of material to be reduced in said chamber, means for producing a vorticose movement of a reducing fluid evenly against said body of material, and means for moving certain portions of said body of material uniformly into the locus of the vorticose movement, and means for collecting and removing particles cast out of said body of material when acted upon by the vorticose movement.

7. A device for reducing materials, comprising a chamber, a body of material to be reduced in said chamber, means for producing a vorticose movement of a reducing fluid evenly againstsaid body of material, and means for equally distributing said reducing fluid into the locus of the vorticose movement.

8. A device for reducing materials, comprising a chamber, a body of material to be reduced in said chamber, means for producing a vorticose movement of a reducing fluid evenly against said body of material, means for equally distributing said reducing fluid into the locus'of the vorticose movement, and means for controlling the distribution of reduced material in said reducing fluid.

9. A method of reducing materials, comprising the steps of introducing a reducing fluid uniformly over the material for attriting the material and entraining particles of material in the fluid, producing a vorticose movement in the fluid and entrained particles whereby the particles mull against each other to reduce their size, and conducting away the material laden fluid.

10. A method of reducing materials, comprising the steps of introducing a reducing fluid over a body of the material for attriting the material and entraining particles of material in the fluid, producing a vorticose movement of the fluid and entrained particles evenly against the body whereby the particles are uniformly mulled against eachother to reduce their size, and conductin away the material laden fluid.

11. A method of reducing materials, comprising the steps of introducing a reducing fluid uniformly over the material for eroding the material and entraining particles of material in the fluid, producing a vorticose movement of the fluid and entrained particles evenly against the body whereby the particles are uniformly mulled against each other tty reduce their size, and conducting away the material laden fluid.

12. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber, a charging means leading to the lower part of said chamber and adapted to maintain a bed 01 material in said chamber, means in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the bed of material, and means for .feeding the material uniformly into the locus of the vortex.

.13. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, a rotor in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of air above the surface of the body of material for driving a current of air against the material, and means in association with the walls of said chamber for positioning the material relative to the locus of the vortex whereby the particles are uniformly stressed and reduced.

14. A device for reducing. materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, a rotor in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of air above the surface of the body of material for driving a. current of air against the material, means in association with the walls of said chamber for p0-. sitioning the material relative to the locus of the vortex whereby the particles are uniformly stressed and reduced, and means for moving certain portions of said body of material uniformly into said locus.

. 15. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a ody of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for effecting reduction in the particles of material in the region of the surface of said body of material, and means for uniformly introducing a fluidal body into said chamber in the reglon of action between said impeller and said body of material.

16. A device for reducing materials, com prising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for ef fecting reduction in the particles of material in the region of the surface of said body of material, means for uniformly introducing a fluidalbody intolsaid chamber in the region of action between said impellerand said body of material, and means in association with the walls of said chamber for positioning the material relative to the region of the vortex whereby the particles are uniformly stressed and reduced.

17. A device for reducing materials, com prising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for effectin reduction in the particles of material in t e region of the surface of said body of material, means for uniformly introducing a fluidal stream into said chamber in the region of action between said impeller and said body of material, and means for uniformly moving certain portions of said body of material into said region. 1

18. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for effecting reduction in the particles of material in the region of the surface of said body of material, means for uniformly introduc ing a fluidal stream into said chamber in the region of action between said impeller and said body of material, means in association with the walls of said chamber for positioning the material relative to the region of the vortex whereby the particles are uniformly stressed and reduced, and means for uniformly moving certain portions of said body of material into said region.

19. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for effecting reduction in the particles of material in the region of the surface of said body of material and inlet means in association with the blade elements of said impeller for uniformly directing a fluidal stream into said chamber in the region of action between said impeller and said body of material.

20. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producinga vorticose movement of.a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for effecting reduction in the particles of material in the re 'on of the surface of said body of material, inlet means in association with the blade elements of said impeller for uniformly directing fluidal stream into said chamber in the region of action between said impeller and said body of material, and means in association with the walls of said chamber for positioning the material relative to the region of the vortex, whereby the par ticles are uniformly stressed and reduced.

21. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against saidparticles for effecting reduction in the particles of material in the region of the surface of said body of material, inlet means in association with the blade elements of said impeller for uniformly directing a fluidal stream into said chamber in the region of action between said impeller and said body or material, and means for uniformly moving certain portions of said body of material into said region.

22. A devicefor reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber containing a body of material to be reduced, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for effecting reduction in the particles of material in the region of the surface of said body of material, inlet means in association with the blade elements of said impeller for uniformly directing a fluidal stream into said chamber in the region of action between said impeller and said body of material, means in association with the walls of said chamber for positioning the material relative to the region of the vortex, whereby the. particles are uniformly stressed and reduced, and means for uniformly moving certain portions of said body of material into said region.

23. A device for reducing materials, comprising a reducing chamber, a material holding means connected with the lower part of sa1d chamber and adapted to maintain a body of material in said chamber, a ram feeder adapted to uniformly feed material into said chamber, an impeller in said chamber for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid above the'surface of the body of material and evenly against said particles for effecting reduction in the particles of material in the region of the surface of said body of material, inlet means in association with the blade elements of said impeller for uniformly directing a fluidal stream into said chamber and into the the region of said vorticose movement, and means associated with the walls of said chamber for positioning the material relative to the region of the vortex, whereby the articles are uniformly stressed and reduced.

24. A device for reducing materials comprising a chamber having means therein for supporting the material to be ground, and a rotor located within said chamber above said material supporting means, so that said material is located below the rotor, said rotor having means for producing a vorticose movement of a fluid against the upper surface of said material so as to reduce the same.

25. A device for reducing materials comprising a chamber having means therein for supporting the materialto be ground, a rotor located within said chamber above said material supporting means, so that the material is located below the rotor, means for introducing a reducing fluid into the chamber in the vicinity of the rotor, said rotor having means for producing a vorticose movement of said fluid against the 11 per surface of said material so as to reduce t e same. 3 26. A device for reducing materials comi prising a chamber, a rotor located within said 5 chamber, said rotor having means for producing a vorticose movement of a reducing fluid within said chamber, and means for feeding material to a position below said rotor so that said fluid will impinge against the upper surface of said material to reduce the same.

27. A device for reducing materials comrising a chamber, means for supporting a Bed of material therein, means for introducing a reducing fluid into said chamber, and a rotor mounted in the chamber between said material supporting means and said fluid introducing means so that said material is below the rotor and the reducing fluid is introduced above the same, said rotor having 2" means for roducing a vorticose movement of said fluid against the upper surface of said bed of material.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe myname to this specification. HENRY G. LYKKEN. 

